maybe it's because I'm a Londoner
There used to be a pretty annoying advert on the TV a long time ago with the main protagonist, a radio DJ, singing this famous song ‘Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner’. At the time, I hated it and thought the whole thing was incredibly naff.
As I’ve gotten older, I find myself walking along and singing the song out loud—especially the line “I think London’s great.” There is a lot wrong with my city, but as a born and bred Londoner, I seem to have tunnel vision on all the things I love about it. Even coming back from weekends in the country, I look at the grubby pavements, bright shop awnings selling marbled plastic buckets and exotic fruit piled high and feel a little bit more relaxed again.
That is not to say being in nature isn’t relaxing, but having everything you want a short walk or tube ride away is a dream. It has been said that London is actually a forest because of the diversity and number of trees that cover the city. Having grown up in North London, many memories float through my head of days spent in the fields of Hampstead Heath, running up Parliament Hill, getting lost in Highgate Wood and rollerblading with my best friends in Regents Park. There is beauty in the green if you can find it.
I have decided to write a love letter to my city in the form of lists. As an artist, mother and keen gardener, I thought I would distil my favourite things in five categories and share why I call this place my home.
Top 5 Outdoor Swimming Spots
London Fields Lido – The pool is Olympic length and has a cute café.
Hampstead Ponds - Not for the faint hearted, but if you head to the ladies one, it feels like a sanctum of womanhood.
Oasis Swimming Pool - There is a sunbathing deck for those that want to stay and top up tans.
Parliament Hill Lido - Very cold but very clean.
West Reservoir - Pretty rustic but very invigorating—especially if you go in Spring.
Top 5 Cafés & Restaurants
Italo - Supreme sandwiches—perfect for after Tate Britain.
Marios in Kentish Town - I used to go here with my Dad. It’s a real English caff.
Morito Exmouth Market - Sit at the bar and have fun with a side of vermouth.
Beirut Garden Shaftesbury Ave – This is a new find for me. Cheap, delicious and BYO.
Rochelle Canteen - The only fancy place where I spend my own money. Worth it time and time again. The gardens are also brimming with beautiful and well cared for plants.
Top 5 Secret Londoner Spots
Rose Bakery at the top of Dover Street Market - The best quiche and salad with a super vinegary dressing. Plus, there is tons of natural light, and there are free magazines to read.
Curzon Mayfair - Very Bond-like in its interior.
St John's Lodge Garden in Regents Park - A friend showed this place to me, and it is the nearest thing to a secret garden that I have ever found in London.
The V&A - Free and forever inspiring—all the great creatives go there to get ideas.
Top of the Shops
Labour and Wait - Useful things, beautifully made to last.
Choosing Keeping - Stationery addicts beware!
SCT Charity Shop in Shoreditch – There are some clothing gems to be found here. They also do a mean coffee—all for charity,
Middle Lane Market - Two words: frozen margaritas.
Great Art Shoreditch - More art materials than anyone could need. It’s also great for kids.
Top 5 Picnic Spots
Kenwood House in Hampstead Heath - Sit by the lake and pretend you are in the movie Notting Hill or a Gainsbourgh painting.
Wapping by the River - Get out at the tube and find a pub where you can buy a pint and packet of crisps and sit by the river imaging maritime London of the past.
The top of Primrose Hill - Best view of the city. Bring rosé.
Greenwich Park - Jump repeatedly over the GMT line and see where time starts. After grab a cup of tea and a scone, jam and cream and march to the top of the hill for supreme views of the capital.
Lonsdale Square Gardens – This is a lovely residential square in Islington. I recommend heading to the local M&S and making a DIY cheese and charcuterie board.
Frances Glory Costelloe
Frances is an artist and garden designer born and bred in London (and still enamoured by it to this day). She loves the city's lidos and can always find the perfect picnic spot. When she’s at home, she’s likely toiling away in the garden or hard at work crafting striking illustrations for lampshades and ceramics and matchboxes, but when she’s on the go, she’s stopping off at every gallery on route.
